Tag: Jennifer Maia

UFC 255 ‘Embedded,’ No. 2: ‘I feel like a superstar right now’

Go behind the scenes with the first episode of “Embedded” leading up to UFC 255 headlined by a pair of flyweight title fights.

The UFC returns to pay-per-view Saturday night, with UFC 255 and a pair of flyweight championship fights atop the bill.

UFC 255 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

In the main event, men’s 125-pound champion [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) makes his first title defense against [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] (24-5 MMA, 6-1 UFC). And in the co-headliner, women’s 125-pound champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) looks to continue her run of dominance with a sixth consecutive win in her fourth title defense against [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] (18-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC).

The second episode of “Embedded” follows the big-name stars at the top of the card. Here’s the UFC’s description from YouTube:

Valentina and Antonina Shevchenko sharpen their tools at a Vegas gym. Brandon Moreno embraces the spotlight. Champ Deiveson Figueiredo and opponent Alex Perez check in to the hotel. Cynthia Calvillo prepares to put on a grappling clinic in the Octagon.

Also watch:

UFC 255 ‘Embedded,’ No. 1: At home with Valentina Shevchenko

Go behind the scenes with the first episode of “Embedded” leading up to UFC 255 headlined by a pair of flyweight title fights.

The UFC returns to pay-per-view Saturday night, with UFC 255 and a pair of flyweight championship fights atop the bill.

UFC 255 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

In the main event, men’s 125-pound champion [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) makes his first title defense against [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] (24-5 MMA, 6-1 UFC). And in the co-headliner, women’s 125-pound champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) looks to continue her run of dominance with a sixth consecutive win in her fourth title defense against [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] (18-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC).

The first episode of “Embedded” follows the big-name stars at the top of the card. Here’s the UFC’s description from YouTube:

Brandon Moreno watches fights and gazes at cookies. Champ Deiveson Figueiredo gets to Vegas with a KO on his mind. Champ Valentina Shevchenko shares a family photo album, ready to make sister history. Cynthia Calvillo takes her best friend to the park.

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Valentina Shevchenko wants to show why she’s huge favorite vs. Jennifer Maia

Valentina Shevchenko discusses being a -1200 favorite at UFC 255: “I cannot just think, ‘Oh, it’s going to be an easy fight.’

[autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] does her best to avoid acknowledging betting odds going into her fights. However, she admits a touch of pressure comes with the steep line for her title defense against [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] at UFC 255.

Shevchenko (19-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC), the reigning women’s flyweight champion, is currently as great as a 12-1 betting favorite for the Nov. 21 bout against Maia (18-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC). Shevchenko was recently made aware of the odds and said it only makes her think of how she needs to put on a performance worthy of them.

“I didn’t hear (about being a -1200 favorite) yet, and I never do,” Shevchenko told MMA Junkie Radio on Thursday. “I never focus on what the bet is, and I don’t care. It doesn’t matter to me. It’s the last thing I would consider during my training camp. The most important thing I consider is to prepare myself mentally, physically. I know that Jennifer Maia, she will be preparing in her best shape.

“… For me I cannot just think, ‘Oh, it’s going to be an easy fight.’ For me, it means a lot of responsibility to do everything that I have to do in the fight.”

Shevchenko’s primary focus is to live up to her “responsibility” as a dominant champion, but she said an onus also falls on Maia to prove the public perception wrong.

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By no means is Shevchenko looking to get in the octagon with anyone who will roll over for her. UFC 255 represents her fourth title defense at 125 pounds, and the champ is preparing as if Maia is the most dangerous threat to her reign. And she hopes that’s the reality on fight night.

“I don’t want anyone that would come into the octagon and not be ready for the fight,” Shevchenko said. “I don’t need this kind of opponent. I need someone who will want to fight. That’s why I will put my best to win this fight and to show my technique, my spirit, my power, my everything. I need good opponent, and I hope she will do good in her training camp.”

No matter who the opponent or what the odds, Shevchenko said her next fight is an extremely important one. It’s testing uncharted water as, for the first time, she’ll be entering a fight following surgery.

Shevchenko was supposed to defend her belt against Joanne Calderwood in June, but she suffered a leg injury that forced her out of the bout. Her timeline was then pushed back from August to November because recovery wasn’t going as anticipated.

The process is going well enough that Shevchenko was able to sign on for a date and opponent, she said, but caution is still needed. According to Shevchenko, the top priority for her UFC 255 training camp is to not reaggravate her leg injury and enter the octagon in her best condition.

“You never can expect how your body will react after the surgery,” Shevchenko said. “It’s my first surgery. I never had before, and definitely I would not risk something that important for me as my belt. It’s all about my recuperation. When I will be back to the octagon, I will feel my body 100 percent, definitely. I will not do something when there is not risk for major injury.

“This is the most important or me. Right now I focus so much to start my training with no injuries and not repeat the same injury and to protect my legs and protect them from unwanted force during the training camp. This is for me what’s very important. I know if I do this and follow this plan, I will do good.”

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Hablemos MMA #3: Entrevista con Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, resumen de UFC on ESPN+ 32 y Bellator 243, mas

Escucha el tercer episodio de Hablemos MMA con Danny Segura.

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(Editor’s note: Hablemos MMA is MMA Junkie’s weekly Spanish-language podcast hosted by reporter Danny Segura. New episodes are released every Monday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more of your favorite podcasting platforms. You can also stream or download the latest episode above.)

En el tercer episodio de Hablemos MMA, Danny Segura entrevista a [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] acerca de su pelea coestelar contra [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] en UFC 252, su posición en la división, y mucho mas.

También analizamos los resultados de UFC en ESPN+ 32: [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag], Bellator 243: [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag], y repasamos las ultimas noticias de las artes marciales mixtas incluyendo el futuro de [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag], lesiones de [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] y [autotag]Yair Rodriguez[/autotag], fichajes de [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag], [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag], y mucho mas.

 

 

UFC 255 gets two flyweight title fights: Figueiredo vs. Garbrandt, Shevchenko vs. Maia

It’ll be a flyweight party this fall at UFC 255 with a pair of title fights.

It’ll be a flyweight party this fall at UFC 255.

A pair of 125-pound belts will be on the line at the top of the card. [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] will put his title on the line for the first time against former champion [autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag]. And women’s titleholder [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] will meet challenger [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag], UFC president Dana White told broadcast partner ESPN.

UFC 255 is set for Nov. 21. A location and venue still are to be determined, but the main card will air on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

Figueiredo won the flyweight title in July with a brutal first-round knockout of Joseph Benavidez in their rematch. In February, Figueiredo stopped Benavidez with a second-round TKO, but was not eligible to win the then-vacant flyweight title because he missed weight. Three weeks ago, though, he had no weight issues and won the belt free and clear with his fourth straight victory.

Garbrandt will test the flyweight waters for the first time. He won the banamtamweight title against Dominick Cruz in December 2016, but lost it to T.J. Dillashaw in his first attempted title defense. He lost a rematch to Dillashaw, as well. And in March 2019, he was knocked out by Pedro Munhoz, which gave him three straight knockout losses after starting his career 11-0. But in June, he rebounded in a big way with a bonus-winning KO of Raphael Assuncao at UFC 250.

Shevchenko won the then-vacant women’s flyweight title with a unanimous decision over former strawweight champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 231. Since then, she’s had three successful defenses of the belt against Jessica Eye, Liz Carmouche and Katlyn Chookagian.

Maia just this past Saturday submitted Joanne Calderwood with a vicious armbar in Las Vegas for her first UFC bonus. It got her back on track after a decision loss to Chookagian in November 2019. The win also showed she can make the flyweight mark on the scale after missing weight in a win over Roxanne Modafferi and the loss to Chookagian.

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UFC on ESPN+ 31 post-event facts: Vicente Luque’s finishing ability stands out

All the notable stats to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 31, which took place in Las Vegas, and saw Derek Brunson beat Edmen Shahbazyan.

The UFC hosted another event on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 31, which took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streamed on ESPN+.

[autotag]Derek Brunson[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 12-5 UFC) pulled off an upset a 3-1 underdog in the main event when he derailed the hype around [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) with a third-round TKO win in the middleweight headliner.

Brunson’s victory concluded a rather unusual eight-fight card that featured a stunning amount of fight scratches in the days and hours leading up. For more on the numbers, check below for 25 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 31.

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General

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The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $103,500.

Debuting fighters went 1-1-2 at the event.

[autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag], [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag], [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] and [autotag]Lando Vannata[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN+ 31 fight-night bonuses.

UFC on ESPN+ 31 drew an announced attendance of zero for a live gate of $0.

Betting favorites went 4-3 on the card. On fight ended in a raw.

Betting favorites fell to 14-7 in UFC headliners this year.

Total fight time for the eight-bout card was 1:35:48.

Main card

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Brunson’s 12 victories since 2012 in UFC middleweight competition are the most in the division.

Brunson’s eight stoppage victories in UFC middleweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Anderson Silva (11), Nate Marquardt (nine) and Chris Leben (nine).

Brunson’s seven knockout victories in UFC middleweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Silva (eight) and Thiago Santos (eight).

Shahbazyan had his 11-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.

Maia (18-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) earned her first submission victory since May 10, 2014 – a span of 2,275 days (more than six years) and 13 fights.

[autotag]Joanne Calderwood[/autotag] (14-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) fell to 4-2 in UFC women’s flyweight competition. She’s 4-2 in her career at 125 pounds.

Calderwood has suffered all three of her career stoppage losses by first-round submission.

Calderwood became the ninth fighter in history to suffer multiple armbar submission losses in UFC competition.

Luque (19-7-1 MMA, 12-3 UFC) has earned 17 of his 19 career victories by stoppage. That includes 11 of his 12 UFC wins.

Luque’s 11 stoppage victories since 2015 in UFC welterweight competition are most in the division during that span.

Luque’s 11 stoppage victories in UFC welterweight competition are third most in divisional history behind Matt Brown (13) and Matt Hughes (12).

Luque’s eight knockout victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied with Thiago Alves for second most in divisional history behind Brown (11).

Vannata (11-5-2 MMA, 3-5-2 UFC) fell to 2-4-2 in his past eight UFC appearances dating back to March 2017.

Preliminary card

[autotag]Frankie Saenz[/autotag] (12-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC) fell to 2-5 in his past seven fights dating back to December 2015.

Saenz has suffered all four of his UFC stoppage losses by knockout.

[autotag]Johnny Munhoz[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) had his 10-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.

[autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag] (15-4-2 MMA, 3-1-1 UFC) vs. Cody Durden (11-2-1 MMA, 0-0-1 UFC) marked the first unanimous draw in UFC history without point deductions.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

Jennifer Maia gets wish as Dana White says Valentina Shevchenko next after UFC on ESPN+ 31

Valentina Shevchenko has her next contender.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag]’s hope has become a reality.

At UFC on ESPN+ 31 on Saturday, Maia (18-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) defeated [autotag]Joanne Calderwood[/autotag] by first-round armbar submission. Calderwood was expected to challenge women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko – had she won.

When Maia took to the podium at a post-fight news conference, she didn’t have an answer to the question of whether or not she’d be next in line for the champion. However, minutes later, UFC president Dana White cleared the air.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” White said. “That’s the fight. Listen, I have a lot of respect for JoJo. She’s been working hard, taking her career very seriously. She’s been back on track since she moved to Vegas. Jennifer looked damn good tonight. Yeah, it makes sense for her and Valentina to fight.”

Since shortly after her most recent fight in February, Shevchenko has been dealing with injuries. While White did not give a timeline for the fight, he said he hopes to book it as soon as possible.

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Shevchenko (19-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) has looked largely unbeatable in her UFC career to date. With the exceptions of 2016 and 2017 losses to current UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes, Shevchenko has not lost in the promotion.

Maia said she understands the challenge in front of her. When asked about her gameplan for a potential title fight, Maia voiced confidence without revealing any specifics.

“Yeah, that’s a hard question,” Maia said. “(Shevchenko) is very good everywhere. We’re going to find out when we fight. I’m very good. I’m feeling ready. I want to fight now.”

While she admitted she thought Calderwood slightly underestimated her, Maia said she doesn’t expect Shevchenko to make the same mistake.

“I think JoJo maybe underestimated me a little bit,” Maia said. “She had the fight for the title and then she got a short-notice (fight against me) in two weeks. I think she did underestimate me a little bit, but I think Valentina is a smarter fighter. I know she’s the champion. I think she understands me very well. I don’t think she wants to underestimate me.”

UFC on ESPN+ 31 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streamed on ESPN+.

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UFC on ESPN+ 31 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $34.5 million

UFC on ESPN+ 31 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that launched after the UFC’s deal with Reebok.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 31 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $103,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN+ 31 took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The entire card streamed ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN+ 31 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Derek Brunson[/autotag]: $20,000
def. [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Joanne Calderwood[/autotag]: $10,000

[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: $10,000
def. [autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $15,000
def. [autotag]Lando Vannata[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Frankie Saenz[/autotag]: $5,000

[autotag]Nate Maness[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Johnny Munhoz[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag]: $3,500
def. [autotag]Vincent Cachero[/autotag]: $3,500

[autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag]: $4,000
vs. [autotag]Cody Durden[/autotag]: $3,500

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $3,601,000
2019 total: $7,370,500
2018 total: $6,901,000
2017 total: $6,295,000
2016 total: $7,138,000
2015 total: $3,185,000
Program-to-date total: $34,605,500

Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN+ 31, where Motley Crue met AC/DC

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 31 event.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

See what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 31 went with as their backing tracks in Las Vegas.

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Derek Brunson def. Edmen Shahbazyan via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 0:26

[autotag]Derek Brunson[/autotag]: “Victory Lap” by Nipsey Hussle feat. Stacy Barthe

[autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag]: “Use This Gospel” by Kanye West

Jennifer Maia def. Joanne Calderwood via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:29

[autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag]: “TNT” by AC/DC

[autotag]Joanne Calderwood[/autotag]: “Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue

Vicente Luque def. Randy Brown via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:56

[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: “Baby Baby” by Troopkillaz

[autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag]: “Dela Move” by Chronixx

Bobby Green def. Lando Vannata via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: “White Friday” by Yo Gotti

[autotag]Lando Vannata[/autotag]: “On The Road” by Post Malone feat. Meek Mill & Lil Baby

Jonathan Martinez def. Frankie Saenz via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 0:57

[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag]: “El Papa De Los Pollitos” by Los Tucanes De Tijuana

[autotag]Frankie Saenz[/autotag]: “Calm Like A Bomb” by Rage Against The Machine

Nate Maness def. Johnny Munoz via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

[autotag]Nate Maness[/autotag]: “Real” by NF

[autotag]Johnny Munoz[/autotag]: “El Rey” by Vincente Fernandez

Jamall Emmers def. Vincent Cachero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

[autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag]: “Florida Boy” by Rick Ross

[autotag]Vincent Cachero[/autotag]: “Ooh LA LA” by Run The Jewels

Chris Gutierrez vs. Cody Durden ends in a unanimous draw (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)

[autotag]Chris Gutierrez[/autotag]: “Bandolero” by Don Omar feat. Tego Calderon

[autotag]Cody Durden[/autotag]: “Hail Mary” by Tupac

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.